VNY Airport Guide, Dee Lewis, Retires

Straight from the “good news/bad news” files: Announcing the retirement of VNY Airport Guide Dee Lewis, who’s spent nine years as an integral part of Public and Community Relations, acting as “the face” of the airport. Dee has been a devoted employee, serving not just VNY but the entire community and beyond with her charitable pursuits, so we congratulate her on her well-deserved retirement. But the fact is that she is just irreplaceable, and her absence will be felt in so many ways.

Dee has enjoyed a long and successful career in aviation, beginning with her job as a flight attendant for American Airlines (AA). Dee never intended for her job as a flight attendant to become a career, but, as she put it, “I got hooked on the aviation industry!” She was a Flight Attendant for eight years, and then she spent 25 years in management at AA.

In 2005, she joined as an Airport Guide. Dee is so outgoing, it’s no surprise that her favorite parts of her job are working with her colleagues and interacting with the public. Her favorite memory is of the 2006 Gault Street Elementary School Holiday Party. This event lit a spark for Dee, because she realized how much involvement the airport has in the community. “In addition to bringing Santa Claus to elementary school students, we also gave gifts to each student,” she said.

We’re sad to see her go, but we know Dee will continue to do good and touch lives in her post-retirement life. Dee is involved with international charity work that provides medical and dental care for the neediest children; she plans on returning to Cambodia to assist with more dental and medical clinics. She also plans to travel for personal pleasure, with visits to the Galapagos Islands, Ireland, and London to spend time with her stepson. As if all this wasn’t enough, Dee will continue to be a docent at the Music Center.

Join us in wishing Dee congratulations – and we heartily implore her to visit us often!